Slotkin votes in a bipartisan manner on first personnel votes
WASHINGTON,
D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, a
member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and
the Senate Armed Services Committee, voted to confirm Senator Marco Rubio for
Secretary of State on the Senate floor.
In
the Armed Services Committee, Slotkin also voted against advancing Secretary of
Defense nominee Pete Hegseth to a full Senate vote.
In the Homeland Security Committee, Slotkin voted in favor of advancing
Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Governor Kristi Noem and against advancing
Director of the Office of Management and Budget nominee Russell Vought. [SJ1]
Watch
Slotkin question Hegseth, Noem and Vought at the Armed Services and
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees respectively.
Statement
from Senator Slotkin:
“Every
President has the right to choose their people for their Administration, and it’s
my Constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on those nominations. For
me, that means assessing candidates’ commitment to upholding the oath of office
they will swear to the U.S. Constitution – not to any one person or political
party.
“Senator
Marco Rubio stands out as a leader who will do so, and I was pleased to support
his nomination for Secretary of State. While I have some concerns, I also voted
to advance Governor Kristi Noem’s nomination as Secretary of Homeland Security,
who has made firm commitments to me regarding supporting the State of Michigan
– a border state in our own right.
“On
the other end of the spectrum, Pete Hegseth and Russell Vought have failed to
meet that standard, in public hearings and in private conversations. I have no
confidence that Mr. Hegseth, as Secretary of Defense, will protect the
apolitical American military, nor will he stand in the breach if given a
non-Constitutional order.
“Mr.
Vought’s demonstrated record of disregard for the rule of law should disqualify
him from any position of public trust, much less the powerful Director of
Office of Management and Budget.
“Regardless of my view of any nominee, I will always roll up my sleeves, find common ground and work with anyone who is serious about getting things done for Michigan.”